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Informationen zum Autor Jessica Burkhart (a.k.a. Jessica Ashley) is the author of the Unicorn Magic, Saddlehill Academy, and Canterwood Crest series, which you can learn more about at CanterwoodCrest.com. She is a former equestrian who writes from her apartment in Tennessee. (It’s not the size of Crystal Castle, but Jess tries to decorate like a princess!) Jess’s aura would be hot pink and she loves glittery things. If she had a unicorn, it would be named Sparkle. Visit Jess at JessicaBurkhart.com. Klappentext The new foreign exchange student means serious competition for Lauren and her friendsNbecause at Canterwood Crest, only one rider can be at the top. Famous TELL ME EVERYTHING EVERYONE—MOM, DAD, BECCA, AND Brielle—grinned at me. They all stared, waiting for my reaction to Brielle’s sudden proclamation. But I stood frozen in the Canterwood Crest parking lot. Brielle’s words from seconds earlier rang through my head: Now your bestie from home is here! Brielle didn’t live in Union anymore. She wasn’t a student at Yates. She didn’t take riding lessons at Briar Creek. As of today, Brielle Monaco was an official Canterwood Crest Academy student. Blond Brielle, who’d just released me from a hug, put both hands on my upper arms and gently shook me. “Laaaureeen? Hello?! Omigod, are you speechless or what?!” Brielle asked. I nodded, furiously trying to form words. “I—oh my God—Bri—” I stopped and took a deep breath. Everything was finally starting to sink in. “Brielle Monaco, you go here now! This is the biggest surprise ever!” Brielle laughed. “I can’t believe I pulled it off. There’s no way I would have without your parents and Becca.” “So many things make sense now,” I said. “I couldn’t figure out how you’d really gotten on campus for a family-only day. Or why you seemed so off at times. I can’t believe two of my Union friends are here now.” Brielle frowned a little at my last sentence. I remembered her earlier fight with Taylor, my ex-boyfriend who was also from Union, and felt bad for bringing him up. “We’ve got a lot to talk about,” I said, slinging my arm over Bri’s shoulder. I wiggled my fingers into my fleece jacket—the late November air was cold, and I wondered if we’d see snow at the Connecticut boarding school soon. “We’re going to leave you girls to catch up,” Mom said from the passenger seat in our SUV. “Have fun, you two!” Becca, my older sister, called from the backseat. Dad waved, backed up the SUV, and guided the vehicle out of the parking lot and down Canterwood’s driveway. I hugged Bri, laughing. I tugged on her coat and pulled her in the direction of the dorms. “Let’s go inside before we freeze, and you are going to tell me everything,” I said. “Lead the way,” Bri said. Giggling, we made our way through the mass of students and parents who were headed for the parking lot and walked back to Hawthorne—my dorm hall. “Take it all in,” I said, breathing deeply. “Looking at this campus never gets any less exciting.” Bri’s eyes were wide as she nodded. “I had a feeling that was true. Even though I was here all day, I don’t really think I saw the campus for what it is.” We went up a winding sidewalk away from the stable. As we walked, we passed a pasture with turned-out horses. Two horses, blanketed, lay down next to each other. “Aw, nap time,” I said, smiling. Bri asked me to point out buildings to her—even ones I’d told her about this morning when I’d given her the tour with my family. “Of course,” I said. “It would be insane to think you’d remember where everything is ...
